Roading feedback sought

Safety improvements for school children are among roading
options on which the Gore District Council is seeking
feedback from Pomona St residents.

At its meeting this week, the council operations committee
accepted a recommendation to consult property owners on five
options for the street's layout including keeping the status
quo, trialling intersection splitter islands for pedestrians
at each end of the street, and protecting existing grass
verges and street trees with concrete kerbing.

Residents in the busy West Gore street approached the council
six years ago requesting the grass verges be removed to
provide more on-street parking.

However, there had been a freeze on the removal of grass
verges in urban streets while the council's streetscape
strategy was developed. The strategy's adoption earlier this
year opened the way for the Pomona St layout to be assessed.

Council roading manager Murray Hasler said a comprehensive
report by traffic engineers Gabites Porter found the removal
of grass plots and trees would make Pomona St less safe,
which had been the case in Anzac St.

The committee's recommendation will go before the council
next month for approval. The council hopes to start
consulting property owners early next year.